Enter Achilles review/DV8 essay

"Enter Achilles" by DV8 review.

"Enter Achilles" is a physical theatre based play by DV8 that centres around a group of men in a pub as well as another man who is new to the place and doesn't exactly fit in with the crowd. The whole piece is looking at the "lad" culture which had a rise in popularity in the 1980's and 1990's although is still found to be happening today. Since this is DV8 and they deal with issues that involve any political or human nature themes this fits right in with there work and I must admit that after my scepticism I found it to be a genuinely engaging and even enthralling piece of work. I will be talking about the film adaptation but it is extremely physical theatre based and I believe that there is most likely very little deviation from the stage version.

The plays focus for it scenes was on a bunch of "lads" in a pub doing their usual activities which involve drinking, insulting "banter", and behaviour that most people wouldn't call the friendliest. One day a man who is somewhat different to them (As in he is a fair bit camper and is wearing very different clothing) comes into the pub and due to his difference is appearance and actions is rejected by the mentality of the group. He then manages to show a couple of them (one at a time) how trying these new things can be interesting or that they should be more open and when these people do open up the rest either reject it or get very angry about it. My initial response to the play at the start was that I wouldn't be able to take it seriously since the first scene was someone fondling a sex doll but then I tried to think of what it was trying to say. As it went along I thought I had an idea of what was going on but the more that happened the more my idea didn't seem to make sense even though I was never looking at any of these events literally and only at what they could symbolise and while I found it to be engaging and it held my attention very well throughout it was something that I had tot think about for a while before I had an idea. The fact it stayed in my head for so long shows that it definitely did something right.

Since it's physical theatre based and it's done by DV8 we know that it'll be left open for the audience to interpret about what themes and actual plot of the piece is. The themes in particular are quite ambiguous and one of the most interesting parts about it. A common interpretation of the class that there was a running theme of repressed homosexuality due to most of the men rejecting this very camp man and since one of them has a sex doll which can symbolise that his desire for women isn't real and a fabrication. I however disagree. There are a few moments in my opinion that don't seem to fit thematically with this interpretation although it does have it's merits. One part is where one of the lads has the bottom covered in shaving foam by the camp man as if to mock him for going along with the others in their ways. The foam incident in my opinion represents the mans view of autonomy in human nature and the need to feel like we must fit in or go along with everyone or the fact we are restricted to make our own decisions by the mentality of society. There is a moment near the end where the lads use the found doll in a sexual manner and the instant one tries to protect it one of them stabs it and it bleeds and deflates. This in my opinion shows that the piece has no consistent theme (For example repressed homosexuality) but instead has many running through it and shows many of the problems with this kind of culture. The doll bleeding to me represents how they were using the doll sexually and the will to keep it as an object in there minds as a very real thing. The themes show objectification, discrimination, fear of change, and showing the problems of a certain culture by showing the extreme sides. It seems to show that people do want to make their own decisions but due to pressure of society they can't or are scared to show who they truly are.

The movement in the piece is extremely fluid and in my opinion incredibly well done and it has helped grow towards liking physical theatre and while I highly admire it as an art form I don't think it would be one I want to do but would happily watch and be impressed by. One moment in particular was when one of the lads was lying on a pool table and another had to land on him  and then be pushed off. When I saw that moment I flinched because I was assuming it would look heavy and that there would be too much weight but I was surprised to see that it looked very light and extremely fluid which showed the potential of the style with the right training. It was beautifully done throughout the whole thing but that moment in particular stood as as the most surprising to me. The score/music for it was very subtle yet combined with the movement did an excellent job at establishing the mood of a certain moment. The fact that the actors could keep the pints of lager full and not spill it as they do all these very complicated moves was also very impressive. The actors were all very well cast and played their parts amazingly which is impressive because they somewhat combined naturalistic acting with a very unnatural style which is definitely worth a lot of credit because it was pulled off very well. The story or at least the themes conveyed were very entertaining as well as thought engaging and I was very I'm pressed with the production as a whole. It had a very nice set, great clothing and props with thematic purpose, wonderful acting and combination of styles, amazing and beautifully done choreography and was overall very well produced and great to watch so I'm glad I saw it and it got me thinking about this aspect of human nature.